watkins



(ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. H. WATKINS.

KNOTTER FOR GRAIN BINDERS. .v

N0. 460,609. Patented Q01). 6, 1891.

vd fieses XVVMOQUUT (ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

O. H. WATKINS.

KNOTTER FOR GRAIN BINDERS. No. 460,609. Patented Oct. 6, 1891.

."ms ucnms PEYERS cm, gnaw-Limo WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORLA H. lVATKINS, OF ELDORA, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. ALBROOK AND JAMES F. HARDIN, OF SAME PLACE.

KNOTTER FOR GRAIN-BINDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,609, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed April '7, 1890. Serial No. 346,981. (Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLA H. WATKINS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Eldora, in the county of Hardin and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Knotter for Grain-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates 'to grain-binders, and more especially to the knotters used therein; and the object of the same is to efiect certain improvements in devices of this character.

To this end the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and I 5 as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved knotter and holder, showing the binder-table, a needle, and the knotting mechanism, the actuating-disk being partly broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the sleeve-support for the knotter-spindle, showingthe various parts within the same. Fig. 3' is a detail side elevation of the knotterspindle, the sleeve and the knotter-pinion being partly in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the knotter-spindle, taken on the line :1: cc of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the side of the knotter-spindle opposite to 0 that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the knife. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail View of the rotating sleeve and its grasping-fingers. Fig. 8 is a reduced detail elevation showing the action of the stud or anti-friction roller on the bell-crank lever. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the knot-tying devices at the initial position of parts with the needle just about completing its upward movement. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section, omitting the needle, and with the arm turned a quarter-revolution from the position seen in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a similar view, the arm having completed its full revolution. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12 12 of Fig. 11, the arm having completed its revolution, the spindle rising, and the jaw being just closed. Fig. 13 is a front elevation with the arm in the same position as in Fig. 12, showing the cut as having just been made, the knot slipping off the spindle, and the waste end of the previous knot dropping out of place. Fig. 14

is an enlarged perspective detail of the lug at the outer end of the extension-bar, showing the band around the same.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter A designates the frame of the knotter, within the sleeve a of which the shaft of the actuating-disk A has its bearing, said frame having its legs secured on the breast-plate A, mounted over the table A and B is the nee- 6o dle, which is driven by the operating mechanism in the usual and well-known manner. The frame A is formed with a circular bore a, extending from the sleeve a down to its lower end, and is also slotted, as shown at b, to permit of the vertical reciprocation of the guide-lug c on the knot-ter-spindle Within the bore, said spindle carrying an anti-friction roller the axle c of which is fixed in the upper end of the spindle and carries the lug 0 which travels in the slot 1).

The letter D designates a bell-crank lever pivoted at its angle at d to the frame A,'sl0tted at the end of its lower arm to engage the anti-friction roller 0 and the end of its up per arm being extended vertically in the initial position of the knotter and adapted to engage against an anti-friction roller or stud 61 Fig. 8 ,-on the disk A the latter having also secured to its face a section of projecting 8o gear-teeth d the balance of the face being plane.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the spindle O is grooved, as at 0 to receive a'longiitudinally-reciprocating rod E, whose lower end impinges against the head of a jaw E pivoted at c in the lower end of the groove 0 which latter here extends entirely through the spindle, and thus forms a slot. K is a tension-spring piece fixed by a screw K to the spindle O and its free end projecting through the slotted portion of the groove 0 and resting normally in a slotk in the jaw E H is a rotating sleeve, Figs. 3 and 7, having its upper end formed as shown, and extend- 5 ing upward within the hollow portion of the hub of a bevel gear-wheel B where it is secured by means of screws B The wheel ]3 is adapted to be engaged by the gear-section (P, but will not be turned by the plane face of the disk A The inner portion of said hub is formed with a face b corresponding to that of the upper end of the sleeve H, thereby providing a sinuous causeway or channel 72, Fig. 3, in which an anti-friction roller 71 on the reciprocating rod E travels, an opening 72. being made in the upper end of the hub to permit the roller 71 to pass out of the causeway and the rod-E to be moved vertically when desired.

M is a cutting-knife having a lug m traveling in an annular groove m in the inner face of the sleeve 11. The latter has secured thereon, near its lower end, a radially-extending arm J, slotted to receive a screw j, passing through the inwardly-bent upper end of the shank j of a grasping-finger J another finger J 3 being detachably secured to the heel of said shank j by a scre\v 7' leaving an opening J between the fingers.

E is the bar extending from the finger J and having a lug Z at its free outer end, the outer face of this lug being undercut or beveled, Fig. 7, and this lug travels over ways Z Z on the upper side of the breast-plate A during a portion of the revolution of the sleeve and fingers, and also when the latter are at rest. \Vhen the lug passes oif these ways into the opening A in the breast-plate through which the pivoted jaw rises, it will be clear that the band which is carried by the beveled outer face will slip 01f the face of the lug beneath the extension-bar E \Vith the above construction of parts the operation is as follows: The band R, leading from a spool or ball, passes over the back of the needle B and out the point of the same at the point 1, whence it leads, as at 2, through a slot in the breastplate A passes thence around the gavel, again through the slot in the breast-plate at the point 3, and is connected with the fingers. This connection is best seen in Fig. 9, and is formed by passing the band at the point 4 over the upper finger J thence beneath the lower finger J around the lug Z at the point 5, and inserting its extremity at the point 6 between the fingers. The needle, ascending, draws the band tightly around the gavel, and above the breast-plate draws the band across the upper finger J just inside the upwardly-curved extremity. At this time the arm J commences to turn around the spindle to the position shown in Fig. 10, thereby grasping the band inside the extremity of the upper finger and carrying it with it, as shown. As soon as the arm J is moved the extension-bar E is carried across the jaw-opening A in the breast-plate and the tension on the band over the beveled outer face of the lug Z causes the band at the point 5 to slip downwardly off the lug and pass beneath the extension-arm E thereby forming a loop 7, as seen in Fig. 10. This loop, it will be understood, permits sufficient slack in the band to allow the latter to pass around the spindle. At the position of parts shown in Fig. 10 the lug Z engages the band leading from the point 1 of the needle to begin to form the next loop 7, and when the arm J has completed its revolution, as seen in Fig. 11, the lug holds this strand on the opposite side of the j aw-opening A from the fingers. The pivoted jaw E rises at the position shown in Fig. 10, and hence comes up beneath the strands 2 and 3 from the gavel; but as the arm J continues its movement these strands are drawn across themselves at the point 8 and beneath the jaw E at the point 9, as seen in Fig. 11, the strand from the needle-point at that time also extending around the spindle,but being held by the extension-arm E from passing beneath the jaw E Referring now to Fig. 14, where is shown the undercut face of the lug Z, it will be clear that when the tension on the band is in the direction of the arrow 50 the band will be drawn against the right angle at the point 5 and will not slip 01f the face of the lug; but when the tension is in the direction of the arrow 51 the band will be caused to slip off 1 unless the lug is then riding over the ways Z which of course prevent such slipping. The spindle next commences to rise, thus closing the jaw upon the two strands at the point 9, as seen in Fig. 12, and the continued upward movement of the spindle draws the strands against the edge of the knife M, thereby severing them alongside the jaw and forming the knot 10, as shown in Fig. 13. The ends of the gavel-loop are retained between the springpiece K and the closed jaw E as will be understood by reference to Fig. 2, and the expansion of the gavel itself is sufiicient to draw upon' the loop and tighten the knot, after which the force of the usual discharge-arm on ordinary binders,which throws the bundle off the machine, will pull the ends out of the spindle. The ends of the two strands which were severed are best seen in Fig. 13. One of these strands 3 extends from the point where it was severed between the two fingers and forms what I designate the waste end. The other strand 2 passes over the upper finger J and thence around between the fingers at the point 6, whence it passes around the lug Z, back over the fingers, and around the gavel, as above described, for the initial position shown in Fig. 9. This strand is shown in Fig. 11 as leading from the needlepoint 1 around the spindle and around the lug, but it is released from the spindle when the latter is raised, as shown in Fig. 13, and the tension on the band immediately draws it to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11, the needle receding at this time, while the arm remains stationary until the needle again rises. This strand that passes around the lug and beneath the fingers is then carried over the fingers at the point 4 in Fig. 9 and the device is ready for renewed operation. When the jaw E is closed, as seen in Fig. 11, the tension on the two strands which it grasped was so great as to draw them inwardly between the fingers at the point 6, whereby they were caused to push the waste end 3 of the gavelloop previously made up into the opening J between the fingers, Figs. 7 and 13, where it fell out of the way.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve, grasping-fingers connected therewith, and mechanism for turning said sleeve at intervals, of a spindle, means for raising it intermittently into the sleeve, a pivoted jaw at the lower end of the spindle, a sliding rod for operating said jaw, and a knife moving vertically in a groove in the spindle, substantially as described.

2. In aknotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve, grasping-fingers connected therewith, mechanism for turning said sleeve at intervals, and a knife, of a spindle within said sleeve, a frictionroller on the spindle projecting through a slot in the sleeve, a lever having a slot engaging said roller, a disk having a stud for operating said lever at intervals, a pivoted jaw at the lower end of the spindle, and a sliding rod for operating said jaw, substantially as described.

3. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve having grasping-fingers, mechanism for turning said sleeve at intervals, the sleeve being provided with an interior annular groove, and a knife having a lug engaging said groove, of a spindle, means for raising it intermittently into the sleeve, and a pivoted jaw at the lower end of the spindle, substantially as described.

4:. In aknotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve secured in the hub of a pinion, graspingfingers connected with said sleeve, the upper end of the sleeve and the hub being spaced to form a sinuous causeway, and mechanism for turning said pinion at intervals, of a slotted spindle within said sleeve, a jaw pivoted in the slot at the lower end of the spindle, a rod sliding in the upper end of the slot and engaging the upper end of the jaw, and a friction-roller on the rod moving in said sinuous causeway, substantially as described.

5. I11 a knotter and cutterfor grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve secured in the hub of a pinion, grasping-fingers connected with said sleeve, the upper end of the sleeve and the hub being spaced to form a sinuous causeway having an opening at the upper end of the hub, and mechanism for turning said pinion at intervals, 0f a slotted spindle within the sleeve, means for raising it intermittently into the sleeve, a jaw pivoted in the slot at the lower end of the spindle, a rod sliding in the upper end of the slot and engaging the upper end of the jaw, and a friction-roller on said rod moving in the causeway and of a size to pass through said opening therein, substantially as described.

6. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve and a knife carried thereby andh avin g a sharp lower edge,

of a spindle in the sleeve, having a slot at its lower end, a spring-piece in said slot, a jaw pivoted in the slot opposite said spring-piece, and mechanism for raising the spindle within the sleeve past the knife-edge, substantially as described.

7. In aknotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve, of a spindle therein having a slot through its lower end, a spring-piece in said slot, a jaw pivoted in the slot opposite the spring-piece, said springpiece and jaw being of a size to pass into the sleeve, at which time their faces are in contact, and mechanism for raising the spindle into the sleeve, substantially as described.

8. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a sleeve, of a spindle therein having a slot atits lower end, a springpiece in said slot, and a jaw pivoted in the slot opposite said spring-piece and having a grooved inner face engaging the edge of the spring-piece when the jaw is closed, substantially as described.

9. In aknotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a rotating sleeve and a spindle within the sleeve, having a pivoted jaw at its'lower end, of an arm projecting radially from said sleeve, fingers connected therewith, and means for adjusting them radially, substantially as described.

10. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a rotating sleeve and a spindle within the sleeve, having a pivoted jaw at its lower end, of an arm projecting radially from the sleeve, a shank dependin g from the outer end of said arm, and grasping-fingers projectinginwardly from the lower end of said shank, substantially as described.

11. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a rotating sleeve and a spindle within the sleeve, having a pivoted jaw at its lower end, of an arm projecting radially from the sleeve and having a slot, a grasping-finger having a curved inner end, its shank rising from its outer end and being bent inwardly, a set-screw through said slot into the shank, and another finger detachably secured to the first, substantially as described.

12. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with a rotating sleeve and a spindle within the sleeve, having a pivoted jaw at its lower end, of an arm projecting radially from the sleeve, grasping-fingers extending inwardly from the outer end of said arm, and an extending bar secured at one end to said fingers and having a lug at its other end, substantially as described.

13. In a knotter and cutter for grain-binders, the combination, with 'a rotating sleeve and a spindle within the sleeve, having a pivoted jaw at its lower end, of an arm projecting radially from the sleeve, grasping-fingers extending inwardly from the outer end of said arm, an extending bar secured at one end to said fingers and having at its other end a lug provided with an undercut outer face, the breast-plate below said fingers having an opening through which said jaw rises, and

ways on said plate terminating at the edge of 10 said opening, said lug riding between the Ways, substantially as hereinhet'ore described.

ORLA H. XVATKINS.

WVitnesses: CHARLES C. BULKLEY, MARTIN P. SMITH. 

